The Cross and Trump

As we enter into the Passion Week, I thought it would be good for us to retrace the steps of Jesus from the Triumphant Entry to the Crucifixion and Resurrection. So I promise to post throughout the week. I want to invite you to journey with us.

“Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Praise God in highest heaven!” The entire city of Jerusalem was in an uproar as he entered. “Who is this?” they asked. And the crowds replied, “It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.””

Matthew 21:8-11 NLT

Jesus entered Jerusalem not only to fulfill the prophesy about Him but to come to take His rightful place as the King who would sit on the Davidic throne to reign. The thing is that people in Jerusalem recognized Jesus as such. We can tell by their reactions.

Matthew 21:9-10

Then the crowds who went ahead of Him and those who followed kept shouting:

Hosanna to the Son of David!

He who comes in the name

of the Lord is the blessed One!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!

When He entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar.

They were shouting a prophetic pleas from Psalm 118, Hosanna! Please Save! They clearly understood the Messianic fulfillment of this moment. They saw Jesus as the triumphant messiah who was coming to save Jews from the generational political bondage. They were throwing down palm branches and their coats in front of Jesus as a way to signify their deference to Him.

But this same crowd that welcomed Jesus as the Messiah turned on him before Pilate. “Pilate responded, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” They shouted back, “Crucify him!” “Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?” But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!””

Matthew 27:22-23 NLT

These weren’t different people than the ones that welcomed Jesus as the Messiah a few days ago. They were the same ones yelling, “Hosanna! Son of David!“ How is it that the very people who laid down their coats before Jesus were shouting top of their lungs to crucify him?

To the degree of hope was the degree of disappointment. We have to understand they weren’t blood thirsty people who just wanted to see a gory show. But they were people who‘s hopes were dashed at the arrest and the lack of power Jesus seemed to display. They had expected the Messiah to restore the political fortunes of Israel. However, when they saw that Jesus was arrested like a common criminal their expectation came crashing down as Jesus stood on trial by the very political power whom the Messiah was supposed to dethrone. To the degree of their hope was the degree of their anger, which turned murderous. “Crucify him!” He is yet another phony! A fake! An impostor!

But before we judge the crowds too quickly, we should let this story be a mirror to our own lives. Do we too hitch our eternal hopes on the political figures and process? Do we let our hopes soar with certain policies and politicians? I am just saying.

The hope of is NOT spelled T-R-U-M-P or B-U-T-T-I-G-I-E-G but C-R-O-S-S. Our hope lies is the scandal of the weakness of G-d who was willing to become Judge judged in our place. It is the nakedness and the humiliation of G-d that becomes the hope for every sinner until His Second Coming. It is a lesson that every Christian would do well to remember. The way to glory is not power but a willingness to become humiliated for the sake of others so they may be redeemed. How are we expecting Jesus this season? What’s our expectation of Jesus? How do we prepare ourselves to meet Him? To see Him afresh during this Holy Week? We can only move towards that answer properly as we reflect upon the willing humiliation of our G-d who became weak so we can become strong.